Golkar guard's murder reveals dirty politics

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The death toll from campaign traffic accidents rose to 49 yesterday but the murder of Sudihardjo, a Golkar security guard, reveals a darker side to national politics.

The 46-year-old resident of Tegal Kopen, Banguntapan district, Bantul regency, was killed by unidentified people on May 5 in Sleman regency.

Sudihardjo, also known as Abu, was allegedly one of the Golkar supporters who attacked local offices of the United Development Party (PPP).

A source told The Jakarta Post yesterday that Abu's killers were members of PPP's special election force.

Abu was stabbed and beaten to death. He is survived by two wives, Sugiyarti and Dewi, five children and two grandchildren.

Abu had been visiting Joko Pramono, the owner of a motorbike repair shop in Ngeces, Sleman regency. He was sitting on a parked bike, chatting with three others, when a Toyota Kijang van tried to run down the men. Abu and the others fled.

Four of the six men in the van got out and chased Abu. They caught him, beat him with iron bars and stabbed him in the back and side.

"They did it all so quickly, we couldn't do anything to help Abu. Besides, the attackers were armed," a witness said.

Abu's close friend, Beluk, said Abu had said he was scared that he might be attacked and that he had armed himself. "The problem is, Abu was drunk when he was attacked," Beluk said.

Abu's son by his first marriage, Danang, aged 23, said he believed his father was scared after being involved in the May 5 attack on PPP offices.

But Bambang Aris Sudjolu, 42, of the PPP task force has denied the task force's involvement. He said it would never damage property, assault or murder people. "Such acts are against Islam and PPP is not a gang."

PPP task force member, Agus Joko Lukito, also denied the allegation.

Sleman regency police chief, Lt. Col. Andi Djaka Mulyadi, said the task force was not involved, and that Abu was the victim of a criminal rather than a political attack.

"It just so happened that Abu died during the election campaign," Andi said, adding that police had already established the suspects' identities.

Lt. Col. Suhendri of the Yogyakarta police said that Abu's death was related to a territorial struggle between two gangs of hoodlums seeking to run a protection racket at the Rejowinangun bus terminal.

Abu had been involved in violent clashes at the terminal and had collected money from drivers. He was a former bus driver.

Danang acknowledged that his father was a thug. "But we still need to know how he died. And if this was really about crime, why did he die now, during the election campaign?"

His daughter, Intan, 25, said Abu had advised his family to refrain from politics.

Abu's first wife, Sugiyarti, has been getting anonymous telephone calls at her home in Ledok Prawirodirjan, Gondomanan. The callers say they are pleased with Abu's murder.

Abu's death has attracted the attention of Golkar's Yogyakarta branch chairman, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who has sent his condolences and asked the family not to make a fuss about the murder. (38)